A Token For a Warrior
by nutmeg404
Summary: The residents of Storybook brace themselves for the possibility of curse 2.0. Emma draws Neal aside for a private conversation before the race to stop Pan begins. One-shot. Swanfire fluff.


_Outside Granny's. Various people are arranged in a loose circle, discussing where to find Pan and how they might stop him from enacting the curse._

"So this curse – what exactly is going to happen if we can't stop Pan?" Snow asked.

"Pan will take us to a new land. Anybody tied to the curse will be sucked into it. Anyone who wasn't under the curse the first time around – well, they might want to run. Breathing in the curse's fumes dooms them to the same fate as the rest of us."

Emma frowned. That left Tink, Hook, Henry, Ariel, Neal and herself to rescue everyone. She voiced this observation out loud. Mr. Gold shook his head, to her consternation.

"I'm afraid Bae – I mean Neal – can't escape. He's the reason the curse exists in the first place. It'll gobble him up quite eagerly."

Emma's ears buzzed as her parents launched into an argument with Mr. Gold about what solution could be reached. The sound blocked out the conversation around the woman. The ground felt like it wanted to buck her off balance, like the strong waves that had taken getting used to upon Hook's ship.

It wasn't fair. Why couldn't the universe give her twenty four hours off from dealing with a new grievance? Emma tried to think of some wonderful plan, but terror twisted her mind into shaky lumps of fear.

"I'm going to get my gun," she blurted out, cutting Charming off in the middle of a sentence. Her dad glanced at her with puzzlement.

"I hardly think that's going to stop him, Dearie," Mr. Gold said.

Emma grumbled under her breath and shook her head. She broke away from the group and tugged lightly at Neal's elbow as she passed, her hand acting on some strange impulse.

He looked surprised but followed readily. The sheriff couldn't blame him. Not meeting up with the man had been his signal that she wasn't interested. What would have happened if the Shadow hadn't intervened? Emma frowned and pushed the silly thought to the back of her mind. She was the Savior, pondering about "what ifs" wasn't a luxury she could afford.

Emma tromped up to the apartment. Coming back empty handed would be suspicious. Plus, maybe the solution _could_ be as easy as a bullet through his heart. After Henry got his proper body back, of course.

She turned to look into Neal's puppy-like eyes after shutting the door securely behind them. A flicker of curiosity lingered in their brown depths.

"What's going on?" He asked.

Emma ran a hand through her long hair and stared at her fingers, surprised to see she was shaking. _Get it together. This is no time to start falling apart. _

She needed to channel the tough-ass bails bonds person that didn't have anything to lose. Not become an emotional wreck. Not now, with so much at stake.

"I just – I don't know if I can do this again. Be alone." Emma didn't know if she could pull off being the Savior twice, when it was a title she felt belonged to a stranger.

Neal's hand twitched and moved forward slightly, like he wanted to reassure her. "My papa said the curse will only affect those who were targeted the first time. You won't have to face this alone if it's activated," he said.

She nodded. "Yes. But if we can't stop pan, I don't know if I can do it". Emma couldn't have had this conversation with her parents, Hook, or anyone else. If there was someone who could understand being torn from family, it was this man.

"You're the most resourceful person I know. I believe in you". He stated firmly. Neal reached within his coat and hesitated. His eyes flicked upwards before he finally decided to draw the object out. It was hidden within his fist, which sparked Emma's curiosity.

"Hold out your hands," he instructed.

She obediently cupped them in front, the cold spark of the necklace slipping easily against her skin. A lump rose in Emma's throat. It represented happier times, and the lingering sting heartbreak.

"You kept it?" She asked in astonishment as she carefully cradled the swan pendant.

"I could never throw it out. I know what you said about it back in Manhattan, but if you're out there searching for us, here's a reminder that you have hope".

A smile touched Emma's lips. "Thank-you," she murmured softly. "Could you put it on?" One hand swept her hair out of the way while Neal obliged. His hands lingered against her skin a fraction of a second longer than necessary, dredging up a tiny spark that had been forced down deep inside long ago.

She snatched her gun from her bedroom and slipped it around her waist.

"We should get back. Pan could strike any moment."

Neal nodded his agreement and they headed down the steps together.

"Neal, about that date – "Emma said as they strode back to Granny's.

He cut her off. "You don't have to explain yourself to me. I agreed to back off if you didn't come, and that's the end of it."

Emma shook her head. "No, I was headed to the diner when the shadow killed the Blue Fairy."

Neal stopped to look at her, a new hope lighting up his face. "Emma," he breathed in wonder. Was he hallucinating?

"I guess what I'm saying is that if we beat Pan – or fail - and I break this new curse, we could make some time to talk".

Neal smiled as she regurgitated the same words he had spoken not long ago inside Granny's.

"I'll be waiting," he promised.

They rejoined the group, a small piece of hope embedded in both of their hearts. Maybe Emma could allow herself one tiny "what if". Just one.


End file.
